War Crimes of Grenadier-Regiment 383 (kroat) and Infanterie regiment 373 in Croatia

Discussions on the Holocaust and 20th Century War Crimes. Note that Holocaust denial is not allowed. Hosted by David Thompson.
Post Reply
Freakingcat
Member
Posts: 11
Joined: 16 Aug 2016, 21:00
Location: Austria

War Crimes of Grenadier-Regiment 383 (kroat) and Infanterie regiment 373 in Croatia

#1

Post by Freakingcat » 16 Aug 2016, 21:10

Hi!

I am tracing the fate of my great uncle who went missing on 3.12.1944 at the battle of Knin in Croatia. I have researched an account of a German author about the military engagement of Infantry Regiment 373 which was the one superior to the grenadier regiment 383 (kroat) in which my great uncle served. As it is written by a supposedly former member of the Wehrmacht, I found it quite one sided and leaving out important facts. ( http://www.znaci.net/00001/180.htm )

I tried also to google translate Croatian accounts of the battle of Knin (which was the final defeat of IR 373 and GR 383) but could not find more specific information.

Learning about the war crimes the German Wehrmacht had committed against Partisans and civilians in Croatia, I would like to find out if the grenadier regiment 383 (croat) and Infantry Regiment 373 had been involved, or been accused of having committed war crimes during their engagement in Yugoslawia.

Any information is welcome. Thanks

User avatar
G. Trifkovic
Forum Staff
Posts: 2293
Joined: 06 Nov 2004, 20:26
Location: The South-East

Re: War Crimes of Grenadier-Regiment 383 (kroat) and Infanterie regiment 373 in Croatia

#2

Post by G. Trifkovic » 16 Aug 2016, 21:41

Hi Freakingcat,

and welcome to the forum.
I found it quite one sided and leaving out important facts.
Could you please elaborate on what has been left out? Does it have to do with the regiment's involvement in war crimes or with the battle of Knin?

Cheers,

G.


Freakingcat
Member
Posts: 11
Joined: 16 Aug 2016, 21:00
Location: Austria

Re: War Crimes of Grenadier-Regiment 383 (kroat) and Infanterie regiment 373 in Croatia

#3

Post by Freakingcat » 17 Aug 2016, 09:07

Yes. The author mentions in a few places in the book that the IR 373 carried out "Suehnemassnahmen" (an article about it: http://www.welt.de/print/die_welt/polit ... recht.html)

There had been an order to execute 100 Partisans (mostly civilians, jewish, people who had been kidnapped and held as hostages to be executed as revenge) for every German killed and 50 for every German soldier wounded.

I would like to know more especially about the involvement of the Grenadier-Regiment 383 (croat) which had almost been wiped out on 3.4.1944 at the battle of Knin and the IR 373 in those kind of crimes. Is there any record other than mention in that book about it? Has there been a court trial? Names?

Excerpt from the book

„6. 8. Heukommando des II./I. R. 383 etwa 4 Kilometer nördlich Prijedor
überfallen. Verluste 3 Tote, 8 Vermißte. 6 Pferde tot. Nach Aussage von Zurückgekehrten
war Bevölkerung, auch Frauen, beteiligt. 2./Pz.-Jäg.-Abt. 373 brannte
als Sühnemaßnahme umliegende Häuser ab, angetroffen wurde niemand mehr. —

6.8. Hay Commande of the II.I.R. 383 about 4 kilometer north of Prijedor attacked. 3 death, 8 missing, 6 horses dead. According to reports of the ones who have returned civilians, even women have taken part. 2./Pz-Jaeg.- Abt 373 burned as "Suehnemassnahme" the surrounding houses, but nobody was anymore there. -

24. 9. Tagesmeldung des XV. Geb.-A.K. an Pz.-A.O.K. 2: „373. Div.: Starke
Bandenkräfte, unterstützt durch Bevölkerung, ziehen sich im Raum südlich Bosn.
Krupa zusammen. Gesicherter Na-Störtrupp überfallen, 4 Tote, 15 Verwundete.
Sühnemaßnahmen angeordnet."

24.9. daily report of the XV. Geb.-A.K an Pz... "373 Div. Strong partisan forces, supported by the civilian population, group together at the area south of Bosn. Krupa. Secured NA troup attacked, 4 death, 15 wounded. Ordered Suehnemassnahmen

User avatar
G. Trifkovic
Forum Staff
Posts: 2293
Joined: 06 Nov 2004, 20:26
Location: The South-East

Re: War Crimes of Grenadier-Regiment 383 (kroat) and Infanterie regiment 373 in Croatia

#4

Post by G. Trifkovic » 17 Aug 2016, 13:20

Hi,
Yes. The author mentions in a few places in the book that the IR 373 carried out "Suehnemassnahmen" (an article about it: http://www.welt.de/print/die_welt/polit ... recht.html)

There had been an order to execute 100 Partisans (mostly civilians, jewish, people who had been kidnapped and held as hostages to be executed as revenge) for every German killed and 50 for every German soldier wounded.
The 1:100 quota was never applied on the territory of the Independent State of Croatia (NDH). The quota was 1:10/1:5 (for the wounded) from 1941 to September 1943, followed by an increase to 1:50/1:25 which remained in place until the end of the year. In 1944-1945 if, and how many hostages/prisoners were to be shot was decided on a case-to-case basis involving several ladders in the chain of command.

Having been stationed in Yugoslavia for two full years, both regiments had probably carried out numerous reprisals. As far as Franz Schramml's book is concerned (Kriegsschauplatz Kroatien, Neckargemünd, 1962; the pages in question are 163 and 169), see below for the original daily report of the division, obviously quoted by the author for the case on p. 163 (note the burning of houses around Jajce).

Đorđe Lopčić quoted three convictions by Yugoslav courts of officers who had served with the 373. ID: Arnolf Klauserer, Gerhard Lampadius, and Anton Alimer - the latter as a battalion commander in the 384th GR (Nemački ratni zločini u Jugoslaviji 1941.-1945.: presude jugoslovenskih vojnih sudova, Beograd, 2009, pp. 206-213, 268-273, 233-238).

Cheers,

G.
Attachments
NARA-T315-2170-558- 6.8.43 - Suehnemassnahmen.jpg

Freakingcat
Member
Posts: 11
Joined: 16 Aug 2016, 21:00
Location: Austria

Re: War Crimes of Grenadier-Regiment 383 (kroat) and Infanterie regiment 373 in Croatia

#5

Post by Freakingcat » 17 Aug 2016, 13:44

Thank you that is very interesting!

In the book Franz Schramml's book is concerned (Kriegsschauplatz Kroatien, Neckargemünd, 1962 it is mentioned that on page 211:

"Sie berichteten übereinstimmend, daß
der Tunnel, in dem das Feldlazarett der 264. Div. nach der Verlegung aus Knin
einstweilig untergebracht worden war, mit ca. 500—800, nach anderen Angaben
sogar 2000 Verwundeten, am 4. oder 5. 12. von den Partisanen gesprengt worden
sei und alle Verwundeten den Tod gefunden hätten bzw. „liquidiert" worden
seien. "

"The tunnel, in which the lazarett of the 264 Div. after they have been moved temporarily from Knin, with 500-800, other reports speak of over 2000 wounded, has been destroyed by explosive detonation on 4. or 5.12 by Partisans and all wounded were killed or have been "liquidated"."

In google-translate Croatian documents I found the other version mentioned, that the Germans had blown up the lazarett themselves.

Has this crime ever been investigated and the real culprint been found out?

Freakingcat
Member
Posts: 11
Joined: 16 Aug 2016, 21:00
Location: Austria

Re: War Crimes of Grenadier-Regiment 383 (kroat) and Infanterie regiment 373 in Croatia

#6

Post by Freakingcat » 17 Aug 2016, 13:51

Are those daily reports of the 373 IR division (GR 383) online available? I would be very interested as my great uncle served with them and I would like to retrace his last two years while he was in Yugoslavia.

User avatar
G. Trifkovic
Forum Staff
Posts: 2293
Joined: 06 Nov 2004, 20:26
Location: The South-East

Re: War Crimes of Grenadier-Regiment 383 (kroat) and Infanterie regiment 373 in Croatia

#7

Post by G. Trifkovic » 17 Aug 2016, 15:18

Hi,

we'll probably never find out what really happened at the Stara straža railroad tunnel outside of Knin: understandably, both sides deny the responsibility for the tragedy. I personally doubt that the explosion was a premeditated act, but rather the result of the fighting around the tunnel. One German doctor who survived the battle testified to this effect, saying that the ammunition went off as the tunnel "began to receive fire from both ends" (not clear who held the ends at the moment of the explosion); one Partisan document speaks of "effective fire of mountain batteries which hit the powder magazine above the tunnel".

Source: Karl W. Böhme, Die deutschen Kriegsgefangenen in Jugoslawien (München: Verlag Ernst und Werner Gieseking, 1962), Vol. I/1, p. 95; Zbornik NOR-a (Beograd: VII, 1949-1986), Vol. V, book 37, p. 468, 8th NOVJ Corps, After-action report Knin (25.1.1945).
Are those daily reports of the 373 IR division (GR 383) online available? I would be very interested as my great uncle served with them and I would like to retrace his last two years while he was in Yugoslavia.
Check out the "Znaci" website.

Cheers,

G.

Post Reply

Return to “Holocaust & 20th Century War Crimes”